All around the world, homophobic
violence and discrimination is too often overlooked by governments.
LGBT people are often targets of organized violence and discrimination,
and considering the intensity of these acts -murders, kidnappings,
torture, assaults, rapes, detention, psychological threats and arbitrary
deprivations of liberty [1]- these violations of human rights clearly demand a
response. In several countries around the world, it is illegal to engage
in same sex conduct. In the report, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, calls
on these countries to repeal laws forbidding same-sex conduct, and to abolish
the death penalty that many countries implement on those who violate those
laws. The death penalty still remains in at least five countries (Iran,
Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen).
Oftentimes, homosexuals, bisexuals, and transgenders do not
trust the police, fear further discrimination, or are unwilling to identify
themselves as LGBT and therefore do not report the incidents. Even in the
workplace LGBT members face unfair treatment, and the federal government has
failed to stop the injustice.
In many jurisdictions, gay people are not protected against discrimination in employment. Statewide protections against workplace discrimination exist in only fourteen states; in the rest of the country, employees fired for being gay have no legal recourse unless they work in a locality with its own anti-discrimination ordinance. Even though the vast majority of Americans are opposed to such discrimination, the United States Congress has still failed to enact the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA), which would make it illegal to fire, or refuse to hire, someone because of his or her sexual orientation. [2]
The UN report looks to persuade nations
and states to change their legislation in order to protect LGBT members from
discrimination, especially in the workplace. Charles Radcliffe, the chief
of OHCHR’s global issues section, told UN Radio that “one of the things we
found is if the law essentially reflects homophobic sentiment, then it
legitimizes homophobia in society at large. If the State treats people as
second class or second rate or, worse, as criminals, then it’s inviting people
to do the same thing.”[1]: Adapted from UN report
[2]: Adapted from a Georgetown report
Nice post Nazar! This article is very true and needs to be said. Discrimination against ALL people is wrong but it's nice to hear that progress may soon be made, especially for LGBT people (what with the whole death penalty thing and all...)! Hopefully social attitude will change as the law does. :)
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